


I Behold Your Past

by yoursweetheart



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluffy, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, M/M, Past Abuse, Side HyungWonho, Smut, bc No Plot Holes;), but it's going sad ig, changki if u squint, everything is connected to one plot, except for minhyuk's, hyunwoo can see past, i expect tears from yall at the end, idk i tried, its for shownu birthday, its soft i kinda melt myself as i typed this, maybe slowburn idk, no its not sad ending, oh there's a reason why hyunwoo cant see minhyuk's past
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-04-12 05:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19125295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yoursweetheart/pseuds/yoursweetheart
Summary: With a single touch, Hyunwoo can see past and erase memories. So, when that night Minhyuk cling onto his neck and he sees nothing, he began to wonder if it's either a blessing or a curse.Despite the confusion, Hyunwoo couldn't help but fall deeper for the man.





	1. Your Skin Hold Nothing

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this for shownu's birthday!! hope u enjoy!!
> 
>  
> 
> p.s i also already had the scratch of how this story would go, im just working on the details and the writing as i update this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunwoo glances at Minhyuk who keeps rambling at the sky about... whales?
> 
> What is this man exactly.

Hyunwoo has passed by this road so often that when the bus hits a pothole, he stands like a carving stone while clinging tightly on the straphangers to support himself as other several passengers stumbles on their feet- one of it almost bumps herself on him before he quickly sways away and she stumbles more. He quickly bows in silent apology at her (at which she retaliates with a grunt and angrily fixes her clothes) because it’s not like he doesn’t want to help her, he would if he could. But that’s the thing. He _couldn’t_.

It’s something on his skin, his touch, other’s touch. _A touch_. Hyunwoo can see past and erase memories (except that he needs more effort for this) just with a single touch. And it’s not always pleasant, he can’t really have the luxury to choose on what to see so it’s kind of risky to touch anybody just like that. He could sometimes see people naked on his vision, while past-them checking themselves out in the mirror. It’s uncomfortable to save that image in him by himself, but it’s not like he could just throw it away or even talk about it with others. He’ll be an asshole if he’d talk about it to anyone, and he’ll look insanely weird too.

Any other times, it _hurts_. Especially when he see something traumatic for the person, the more damaging the more pain for him. It feels like hundreds of needles pierced into the back of his head and eyes, the numbers of pain depends on how agonizing the memory is. Unfortunately for him, everyone has _that_ kind of memory. Although it’s still kind of random which side of past his brain will allow him to see. You will never know, so might as well avoid it all.

When he was still a baby, he’d never shut up in the crowd. The sea of people might have created a loud waving, distorting sound but Hyunwoo’s cry would pierce through it, his yell would reverberated across the park whenever someone come near and gently pinch his cheek. Then the stranger would swear they were sure they didn’t pinch him that hard. Still, his mom would glare at them and shush him back to sleep.

Maybe it was some sort of inklings mothers had, but soon she wouldn’t let anyone touch him given to his cry every time someone playfully touch his skin.

Hyunwoo grew up to be a chubby, shy six year old kid with eyes cease to exist whenever he’s laughing at the cartoon played on the TV screen. It was time for him to start going to school and his mom admitted him to the least crowded school near their house.

Turned out it was a school for the poor, delinquent kids. But that’s where he met his bestfriend, Hyungwon, one year younger than him and he wasn’t supposed to start school yet but there he was, walking around with hands folded in front of his chest and casually pulled Hyunwoo’s chair when he was about to sit. Their teacher amended their friendship and basically forced them to play together because of their name similarity. Hyunwoo and Hyungwon. They sought to punch each other until sundown but when the teachers pointed that out, they unexpectedly become the bestest friend.

Hyungwon was quiet, Hyunwoo was next to mute. But they always laugh at nothing, it also never hurts to see Hyungwon’s past. It usually consist of him watching cartoons every morning while sucking at his milk bottle or when his mother read him tales every night to put him to bed.

Until they were nine, in Hyunwoo’s room crafting their lego pieces as Hyunwoo followed the instruction carefully and Hyungwon just built whatever the fuck he wanted.

Hyunwoo never thought seeing someone’s past was weird, he thought everyone does that just as how every kids secretly or shamelessly answers to Dora the Explorer. So while finishing their toys, he had asked: “Do you know what happens to the siblings after they come into the grandma’s house?” Hyunwoo couldn’t see the end of the story Hyungwon’s mother tales for Hyungwon had already asleep midway.

Hyungwon perked up for a moment before letting his eyes roamed around to find the piece to perfecten his robot. “What do you mean?” he asked flatly.

“The story your mom told you last night,” Hyunwoo flipped the page and fetch for the instructed piece. “What happens to them?”

Whatever he was doing at the moment, he halted. “How do you know?”

Hyunwoo halted too, bewildered. “What do you mean?” he asked innocently. “I saw them when you hold my shoulder when you came.”

“What?” Hyungwon frowned.

“I saw your past,” Hyunwoo heaved a sigh in exasperation, not understanding where is this going. “Now tell me what happened to them,” he was back giving full attention to his half made helicopter.

Hyungwon had put his robot away and sliding closer. “You _saw_ my past?” he asked, voice full of something Hyunwoo couldn’t comprehend. “Which movies you get the references from?”

“I rarely watch movies,” Hyunwoo said, also putting his toy down. “Why do you ask that?” He looked innocent and unaware.

Hyungwon stretched out his hand. “Hold it.”

So Hyunwoo did, and he saw Hyungwon focusing on his robot just a minutes ago. But it was just a quick flash, he also saw Hyungwon’s mother and another man in the driver and passenger seat. It was night. Hyungwon tried to hold his tears back in the backseat at the sight. Hyunwoo’s head starts to tickle with pain, and he was young, but he knew what was happening.

“Hyungwon,” his voice edged with concern. “Who’s that man with your mother?”

Quickly, Hyungwon retracted his hand and runs outside. Hyunwoo had run after him until his mother told him not to, so he stayed and watched his friend running away from his house. He had understand he’s different by then and he never spoke to Hyungwon again ever since, until they almost graduate elementary school and Hyungwon put his hand on Hyunwoo’s shoulder and _the pain stings_. He saw horrible things from Hyungwon’s memory- he had no longer cry at the pain but it still made him spaced out as the pain ebbed.

“Was it fun?” Hyungwon had asked silently. “Your vision.”

Hyunwoo smiled crookedly. “It hurt.”

“Sorry,” Hyungwon grinned.

 

  
“ _Sorry,_ ” a voice came quietly (almost unheard) behind him as someone tries to prowling out of the bus. Hyunwoo quickly wrenches himself slightly upward to give some space for them to pass as he himself look around and figured he should get off on this station too.

He has a quick appointment with the art professor from his college, said that he needs a help with his art. It’s confusing, because Hyunwoo never has a particular interest in arts so how did the art professor himself had even heard of him or acknowledge his existence in the first place? But he offers money so he decided to come to see what he’s getting himself into.

After getting off the bus, he just has to continue walking two blocks away before he reaches the said restaurant. Hyunwoo came in and immediately spot the art lecturer- _how could he not_ when he dresses in bright yellow and serendipitous good looking hat, beside him sat a much younger man (probably even younger than Hyunwoo himself) with the unearthly soft and pale skin, dressing in a casual tone and black hair slightly combed to the side. And, _and_ , well, he’s cute.

Hyunwoo briefly bows before pulling the chair and takes his seat.

“You can order first,” Professor Bae hands him the menu. “We can start talking after this.”

Hyunwoo takes the menu with both hands. “Thank you.”

They quickly orders their food, and without stalling Profe- _Mae_ (“Just call me Mae, you’re not my student and I’m not that qualified yet,” Mae said) seminates papers of paintings across the table. It’s full of color and strokes- Hyunwoo has never really mind arts, but these caught him off for a good moment. Maybe because it’s the first time for him to actually pay attention to it, but it’s an amazing paintings, to put it lightly.

Hyunwoo’s probably having too much expression on his face (he tends to does that, out of character) because when he looks up, the much younger man is giggling at him.

“So, this is was his paintings,” Mae puts his hand limply on the man’s shoulder. He looks like he does that a lot because the young man was unaffected by it. “He’s the most aspiring painter in my club. His name is Lee Minhyuk.”

The young man bow at Hyunwoo, letting Mae’s hand fall from his shoulder. “Lee Minhyuk,” he repeats his own name.

“Son Hyunwoo,” he retaliates the bow.

“He’ll be having an international competition next month, so I was suggesting to draw something underwater and he agreed,” Mae explains. Hyunwoo nods to let him continue, he already know where this is going. Minhyuk gathers back his paintings in Hyunwoo’s peripheral vision. “It will put more emotions into it if Minhyuk experience being underwater by himself but alas, he can’t swim.”

Hyunwoo doesn’t mean to interfere, but he quietly says, “Ah, yes,” so Mae stops.

“You’re following quick. So I was asking you to bring your schedule to match it with his and see when you two can practice on his swimming.” Mae leans back and stretches his hand to Minhyuk’s chair. “I will talk to your trainer later, you don’t have upcoming competitions, right?”

Hyunwoo shakes his head. “No.”

Mae looks like he wanted to say something but halts when his phone rings suddenly. He quickly draws it out from his pocket and frowns to whatever shows up on his screen.

“I really have to go,” he says, shoving it back to his pocket and pulls out his wallet. “You can eat my meal, and this is my money to pay.” He folds it under the small vases before starting to his feet. He circles around the table and hold Hyunwoo’s shoulder- and he couldn’t really register the words directed at him because he sees something-

It was in his office where Minhyuk hovers in the middle and his hand roams to everywhere he could reach on Minhyuk’s body despite the man saying no at him.

He feels nasty, like he touches Minhyuk by himself despite the man doesn’t want him to. And of course, _of course_ , he wouldn’t do that.

And when his senses pierces back to the consciousness, he catches Minhyuk staring at him with raised eyebrow. It’s only the two of them now and a waitress walking near with their orders.

“You just spaced out suddenly,” Minhyuk says when she had done asking if they need more of their service and they both shook their heads. “It’s funny.”

Out of all things Hyunwoo expect him to say, that one was not it so he chooses to not reply and start digging on his food already. Mae’s touch on him had made his stomach swirls, and he kind of feel bad for Minhyuk- but what can he do? Or say? Absolutely nothing unless Hyunwoo were trying to make himself looks insane.

“Have you thought of place you want to draw?” Hyunwoo asks instead. He never really talks to people, but he’s good at improvising.

Minhyuk takes a spoonful of dumplings and taking his sweet time to think as his cheeks seems as busy chewing the food.

“I thought of something like, lake or waterfall,” Minhyuk shrugs. “What kind of animals you usually found in lake?”

“Crocodiles,” Hyunwoo answers thoughtfully.

Minhyuk snorts. “Scratch that,” he fetches his cold drink and taking a big gulp. Hyunwoo couldn’t help but watches him from the other end of the table. “Let’s say sea or something less deathly.”

“Sea have sharks- I heard that they actually don’t eat human, _but still_ , and there are lakes with no crocodiles.”

“I’m still thinking of the theme too,” Minhyuk hums, and slurps his soup. “Can I have this meal?” He points at Mae’s meal.

Hyunwoo thinks of his grumbling stomach asking for more, he was imagining on digging Mae’s meal by himself after he finish his- but _so what?_ He’d feel bad to eat it alone anyway. It feels wrong to eat something he doesn’t pay for and left the other to just sit there and watch him eat.

“Yeah, of course,” Hyunwoo nods.

Minhyuk beams and gladly takes his second meal. “How long have you been swimming?”

“Since I was ten.”

“Why?”

Hyunwoo takes his drink and empties the glass while forming the coherent sentences of answer he needs. “It’s less people,” he says eventually, it’s not a lie but not the whole truth anyway. But why would he elaborates?

“Huh,” Minhyuk scoffs at his meal and looks up at him for a while. Hyunwoo shifts uncomfortably under his gaze. “It’s usually a big turn off for me if someone admittedly says they don’t like people, think it’s edgy or something,” he takes a spoonful of rice, “I mean, I hate people too but I wouldn’t say it out loud- “

“You just did.”

Minhyuk halts for a moment and laughs, and so did Hyunwoo- because _w_ _ell_ , his laugh is just so contagious.

“Right, I just did,” Minhyuk admits.

Hyunwoo’s laugh descend into a small smile gradually and he lets silence fall around them so Minhyuk could finish his meal in peace.

“Mind you, I’m really suck at swimming,” Minhyuk says at some point in their silence. When Hyunwoo turns to look back at him, Minhyuk had just finish his meal. “Like, _suck_ suck. The suckest thing I’m at.”

Hyunwoo shrugs, he met a lot of people like that before and they master it eventually. “We’ll fix that soon.”

“Thank you.” Minhyuk is grinning, like the wide smile can express how thankful he is.

“Yeah, well,” Hyunwoo laughs. “It’s no big deal.”

Minhyuk nods. “So, what major are you in?”

“English,” Hyunwoo nods too, unconsciously mimicking Minhyuk as his mind briefly drifting on becoming a translator like he always wanted to be.

Minhyuk pauses like he’s waiting for Hyunwoo to say more, and when he doesn’t, Minhyuk went on, “That’s cool, I thought you’re really into sports.”

“What about you?”

“Psychology,” Minhyuk shrugs. “My own paintings bring me to so many sides and I ended up interested in what’s on people’s mind. And it will affects my arts too, to understand more emotion- the more you understand it, you can give a better way to convey your feelings through colors and shapes. I just think it’s amazing for the painters to draw something and anyone who sees it can just feel the emotion right away, it’s almost kind of weird and also fascinating how we channel our feelings to each other, don’t you think?”

Hyunwoo nods, he thinks he lost it midway. “So, you’ve been drawing your whole life?”

“Yeah,” Minhyuk smiles small, Hyunwoo notices his fingers are trailing on the rim of the glass. “It’s stressful, but in a good way. It helps me think.”

“Oh. I understand.” He completely does.

There’s a long pause before Minhyuk decides to break it again, “Your hair looks good.”

“Ah,” Hyunwoo awkwardly rakes at his hair, it’s dark brown with a little tint of blonde in the tip. “It’s one of my best friend’s episodes, he thinks he’s great at this.”

“Well, I agree with him.”

Hyunwoo would like to punch himself when he blurts out, “Do you like it?” He raises his eyebrows, in that way he probably looks less awkward. Or perhaps even worse. Why did he said that?

Minhyuk seems like he senses Hyunwoo’s uneasy feeling because he casually laughs and nods happily. "I like it, I just gave it a compliment.”

“Right.”

“What about my hair?” Minhyuk touches his raven hair. “I dyed it myself.”

“It’s beautiful,” Hyunwoo looks at him, and as he says it he doesn’t really know he was talking about the hair or just about the boy in general. “What’s your original hair color?”

“Dark brown,” Minhyuk says. “It looks fun but really boring looking at the same time. So, not that fun actually, but I used to think I look really good with my brown hair back in high school.”

Hyunwoo has never thought of talking that much to someone, but he did with Minhyuk and he barely know him. Their topic darts from one to another naturally, and even though he thinks he didn’t do much for the conversing, Minhyuk seems fine with it and keep going. Him and Hyungwon has always been quiet, in a comfortable way, and their differences and similarities bonded them stronger. But Minhyuk is like pulling him out from his comfort zone- it’s thrilling and Hyunwoo feels like he’s finally getting out there. Really, when all he does is actually just talking to someone for four hours straight in a restaurant.

And Minhyuk’s way of talking and his eloquence entranced Hyunwoo the most. He likes him talking, it’s cute and endearing- it’s not like Minhyuk is trying to look cute. But sometimes he purses his lips so his cheeks puffs and his _smile_.

“It’s already sundown,” Minhyuk slurs, sipping at his third drink. “You wanna go?”

“It’s Monday tomorrow,” Hyunwoo frowns at the thoughts of his piling assignments. “Should I walk you home?”

Minhyuk laughs. “No need. It’s two block away from here.”

His phone chirped beside his glass and he turns it to see the screen lit with a new mail. He unlocks it and open his notification to see Mae had sent him their schedule.

“Oh, he’s fast,” Hyunwoo mumbles as he reads their first schedule. He looks up to see Minhyuk glances at him expectantly. “It’s on Wednesday.”

Minhyuk nods leisurely. “Did he mention specifically where?” he asks casually, but Hyunwoo can sense the wary tone.

Hyunwoo reads again, and the vision he saw from Mae by then forces to fill his mind again. He unvoluntarily repeats the scene on his head, momentarily spaces out until he quickly compose himself and find that Mae didn’t write the place.

“He didn’t,” Hyunwoo said after a while. He probably looks upset and Minhyuk couldn’t understand why, because he went silent and nods. “You can say no again, but I’ll feel more relief if I take you home.”

Minhyuk stares at him for a while, he somewhat looks sharper and less beautiful. But still enchanting. Is it about the lighting?

“Okay.”

So they pay for their orders and walk side by side into the dark alley. The path sprawled long before them, with the source of light from the lampposts lining on the sidewalk with the calculated distance from one to another. It’s really empty that it feels weird even for Hyunwoo who usually doesn’t care, and he’s glad he offered twice to walk Minhyuk home.

Minhyuk shivers beside him, pulling his grey jacket tighter. “It’s never been this empty,” he says. “I feel like we’re walking at 2 AM or so.”

“And it’s dark,” Hyunwoo pointed that out, not that he cares, but he thought of his little brother, Jooheon, who’s scared of ghosts and the dark.

“You scared?” Minhyuk grins at him.

“No,” Hyunwoo says simply, and breaks into a smile slowly.

“I never thought I’d say this, but,” Minhyuk pauses for an effect. “I feel safe.”

“I’m glad.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s okay.”

They turn left and there is more people ahead, the lights are yellow tint and it looks more lively with all the houses and the lights coming from it in different shade of colors through their windows curtains.

They walk for a couple turns and Minhyuk starts to hums slowly, gradually sings a coherent lyrics. Hyunwoo flashing an amused smile at him and Minhyuk smiles back, not stopping his singing. It sounds uniquely beautiful.

“That’s my house,” Minhyuk says eventually, pointing at one with white fence and neatly cut flowers.

Hyunwoo couldn’t help but ask, “Your mom like flowers?”

“Nah, it’s my housemate, Kihyun,” Minhyuk sighs. “It’s actually his house, I just somewhat started to move in. And that’s his flowers. You wanna come in? I don’t know if he’s home, though.”

The uncomfortable feeling comes and then Mae’s memory follows. It’s not like it made Hyunwoo uncomfortable with Minhyuk, but the mere memory is making his insides twitch. And he’s not sure if Minhyuk meant it or he’s just trying to be polite. He could be, since he’s really friendly. Hyunwoo doesn’t really know much, but he knows most of friendly people often do this small talk to be polite even when they don’t mean it- that’s literally why they’re friendly.

“No, it’s okay,” Hyunwoo says and he sees Minhyuk’s smile falters a little bit but it quickly brightens again and left Hyunwoo to wonder if he just imagine it. “See you later,” he whirls and doesn’t look back.

 

  
“You’re late,” Hyungwon counters flatly as soon as Hyunwoo steps in and toes his shoes, he doesn’t even look up from his phone. “I didn’t know meeting the art professor would take half a day.”

Hyunwoo doesn’t bother to check the clock when he says, “It’s not even eight.”

“Yeah,” Hyungwon responds in much pettiness. Hyunwoo wonders why before he remembers they had to buy their monthly supplies this afternoon and Hyungwon hates change of plan and Hyunwoo just forgot.

“Why didn’t you call me?” Hyunwoo asks, without a hint of accusing. Hyungwon doesn’t answer and keep scrolling on his phone. Hyunwoo pours a milk half of the glass and downs it in one go. “Sorry, I’ll buy it tomorrow alone.”

“There’s no need!” Hyungwon slightly snapped, his eyes glances to the corner of the kitchen’s counters and Hyunwoo follows his line of sight. “I bought it already.”

It’s a lot of huge plastics, and it seems pretty heavy. No way Hyungwon actually brings all of this and still casually sit on the couch, he’d choke Hyunwoo to death as soon as he got home if so.

Hyunwoo wanted to ask who did he brings to buy it with but that would sounds like he doubts Hyungwon’s strength if he ended up bring it all alone and that would sound like an asshole. “You did it alone?” Is what he settles with eventually.

“You think?” Hyungwon snaps again, but his ears visibly going red. “The new guy next door helped me.”

“Shin Wonho?”

It’s impossible for Hyungwon’s ears to get even redder, it can only go down from there. “Yes.”

Hyunwoo walks to his room and only stop to scratch his calf with his toes. “Uh, yeah, he’s a good guy. I catch him on the gym this morning.”

“I figured he’d gym a lot,” Hyungwon slumped on his seat.

“Well, his muscles are literally bulging- but hey, not all of them are bad,” Hyunwoo starts to scratch his other calf. “I mean, look at me.”

Hyungwon glances at him and immediately look away, grimacing. “Yeah, not exactly a good example,” he sighs. “But you’re doing it because you’re competitive, he could’ve just done it for his looks.”

If it were anyone else, Hyunwoo would say ‘ _It’s not that bad to do it for looks, as long as it’s healthy_ ’ but this was Hyungwon, with his past and how it built his very subjective judgement towards pretty people and whatever they’re doing with their life. Hyungwon himself is just as pretty, the above standard of handsome. He just somehow didn’t want to admit it, maybe because he has prejudices on the community. Anyway, it’ll still be insensitive for him to reinforce his idea on Hyungwon’s. He probably will have a change of mind later in the future, anyway.

“Talk to him more,” Hyunwoo finally suggests. “Maybe you’ll change your mind.” He continues walking, halts again at the doorway. “You wanna play the games I just bought?”

Hyungwon grunts. “Okay,” he says. “Remember I’m still mad that you forgot the grocery shopping this afternoon, though!”

 

  
Hyunwoo snapped his eyes open from his sleep, he can feels the sweat dripping from his forehead and created a pool in his pillow. The air feels too stuffy and suffocating. Hyunwoo gets up and let his hand fumbles until it finds the switch. But the light doesn’t turn on even after Hyunwoo’s rapid clicking.

“Shit,” Hyunwoo mutters to himself. The electricity went off.

He could’ve just go back to sleep, he doesn’t actually mind the sweat and the dark. But he’s now fully awake because the dream was very terrifying that he didn’t want to mention it- it’s something about someone’s memory Hyunwoo accidentally saw. It was horrifying, and it sent him nightmares sometimes. Tonight is one of those sometimes.

He puts on his glasses and squint at his phone, it’s three in the morning. Heaving a sigh, he tries to lay back down. It’s not like he can do something else- he would probably finish his essay had the electricity be a little cooperative.

 _He can’t sleep_.

Five minutes later, the phone falls from his grip and he starts snoring again, eyelids fluttering as a sign of deep sleep.

 

  
When Hyunwoo tells Minhyuk to do the stretches first before going into the water, he doesn’t listen and jumps himself down to the pool. His weight messes the calm surface of the water and it splashes everywhere like a crown of water. Hyunwoo gives him the deadpan face and Minhyuk finally props himself out of the pool and do the stretches with him as water dripping off him everywhere.

They start with the most shallow side of the pool for Minhyuk.

“Look, you should look down to the floors and not forward. It’ll hinder your speed because your body posture isn’t completely straight,” Hyunwoo prepares himself to set an example. “And you should swing your arm up to your shoulders, a lot of people swing it fully to the waist. It won’t work like that,” he closes his palms together and gestures a move, “and your hand should go like this, and _this_.”

“I got it, I got it,” Minhyuk nods, mimicking Hyunwoo’s current posture.

“I’ll show you how,” Hyunwoo kicks the wall behind him and lunges forward.

Minhyuk props himself to sit on the edge so he can peers better on his movement. Hyunwoo makes swimming looks so easy, and professional- maybe it’s because of his already broad shoulders and bronze skin to identify himself as a swimmer.

By the time Hyunwoo gets back to their start end, Minhyuk is fully convince he can do the same thing so he quickly prepares himself and lunges himself forward, already breathing in water and hurt his nose. And when he tries to props his head for air, he ends up swallowing more water and chokes midway.

“Your posture is completely wrong,” Hyunwoo says helpfully.

He coughs up some more. “Tell me about it.” Minhyuk glares at particularly nowhere.

Minhyuk tries again, and it’s instantly getting better on the second try except he stops midway to gasp for water.

“I’m not swallowing more water,” Minhyuk excuses.

He’s so persistent on trying again, ignoring Hyunwoo on the back and angry at his inability to perfectly follow Hyunwoo’s movement. He keeps swimming back and forth with the same impatient attempt to swim perfectly. Hyunwoo had sit on the edge when they’ve been practicing for a half an hour and Minhyuk relents again midway to take a breath. Hyunwoo told him what he supposed to do and offering to show him but Minhyuk had ignore him (again) and try again. Eventually, Hyunwoo brings a roll of paper and smack Minhyuk’s head gently with it to make him stop.

“You should move calmer,” Hyunwoo says when Minhyuk finally gives him the attention. “Your body will swim faster in a calm stream, it smooth your way forward. Now, when you wanna breath, you prop your head up while you swing your hand back. Try again.”

It’s expected when Minhyuk tries and chokes on water again midway. He stands in the middle of the pool, face scrunch tight. “I think I get some water on my ear,” he says, poking his finger into his earlobe. He swims to the edge and props himself out, jumping with his head tilts to the side and giving way for the water to pours down. “Ah, that’s better,” he says after a while, stomping over to Hyunwoo.

“I think that’s it for today.”

Minhyuk only nods gratefully. “I feel dirty,” he grimaces. “I drank a lot of water.”

“Let’s get yourself clean up, then.” Hyunwoo tries to not think how many people had swam there before them.

Minhyuk strides over to the audience rows and grabs at his bag. He rakes his head with a towel and go for his drink. “This place is actually cool. I didn’t know our campus has an indoor pool,” he says after putting his bottle away. “And you’re the captain here?”

Hyunwoo knows how people talks about the club leaders in this school, and the praises he gets as one of them. He loves the attention, but not quite sure how to handle it- and he can hear the similar amusement in Minhyuk’s voice. “It’s not as how people hypes it. It’s not much.”

“Really?” Minhyuk urges, sitting beside Hyunwoo’s bag and lean to the chair. “Everyone is talking about how hot the swimming club leader is,” He continues with an shit-eating grin and Hyunwoo tries to not be self conscious all of the sudden. “They said, too bad he didn’t go to the parties.”

Hyunwoo laughs loudly and he glances at Minhyuk. “Did they?”

“They keep wanting to know if you have a girlfriend,” Minhyuk sighs dramatically. “Tell the audience, hyung.”

Hyunwoo can senses it was actually just Minhyuk’s alibi to ask the question. Because he _is_ getting praises, but most of people find him pretty boring so nobody bother to fall head over heels for him. This thought is making him nervous because Hyunwoo actually likes him- even though not in serious extent, they just met and Hyunwoo plans to never be in a relationship because of his ability but he can definitely see himself growing feelings for this man if this strange superpower of his is never is the case.

“I- “ He hesitates. “No, I don’t.”

“You don’t have a girlfriend?” Minhyuk’s eyes went wide like he’s genuinely surprise. He leans forward, “Why?”

Hyunwoo zips his bag close and pulls it off the bench, he shrugs. “Let’s go,” he paces the wide length of the room without waiting Minhyuk to follow, he will anyway. Hyunwoo pushes the door and hold it for a moment so Minhyuk can steps in. Hyunwoo opens his locker door and tossed his bag inside. “You can put your bag in my locker,” he says.

“Eh,” Minhyuk put his bag near the sink slowly. “It’s okay here.”

“Okay.” He brings his soap and towel with him and strides to one of the stall, and by the time he get in, Minhyuk still busy with his bag.

“Hyung, I think I forgot my soap,” Minhyuk half yells. “Can I ask for yours?” In which, Hyunwoo only reply with a hum. “Thanks.”

Hyunwoo hears the door closes beside him and another splashes of water as Minhyuk probably turns the shower on.

“Is the heater working?” Minhyuk asks.

“It’s only on for the winter,” Hyunwoo says. “So, no.”

He slathers on soap after his skin felt enough wet and then Hyunwoo takes the bottle and slide it to the stall beside him underneath the thin wall of the stalls that separates each bathrooms.

“Thank you!” A muffled voice of Minhyuk’s seconds later.

It’s doesn’t take so much time for them to clean up, by the time Hyunwoo had put on his jeans back, Minhyuk steps out with dried skin and damp hair. They don’t talk much while getting ready and they’re fully dressed three minutes later.

Minhyuk still vigorously rakes his hair with a towel when Hyunwoo fixes his clothes.

“Wanna grab dinner with me?” Minhyuk asks, mindlessly throw his stuffs to his bag. “I know this good place that serve the best jjajangmyeon down the street.”

“Okay.”

When they step out of the sport building, the wind blows to greet them outside and it feels exceptionally cold even with them clad in thick jacket and a shirt beneath. They walk to the place in a rather quick pace- it’s one block away from their campus. The store looks small, pressed between the two bigger stores that sells shoes and books.

“I usually buy some books and start reading them here,” Minhyuk says as they board in.

The room is not as small as Hyunwoo thought it’d be, with rows of long red table before the cashier. Minhyuk choose the seat next to a window and Hyunwoo settles himself on the other end.

“They got dumplings too,” Minhyuk says as they look up at the menu. “It’s also good.”

They end up ordering two bowls of jjajangmyeon and three servings of dumplings. Minhyuk briefly checks his phone while still raking at his hair, and put the phone down with an, “Ah, I got you something.”

Hyunwoo watches him expectantly when he draws out a paper from his bag and put it onto the table. It’s a drawing of him, walking on the sidewalk and three bright lamppost on his path but somehow the surroundings still coloured dark, and there’s a distorting strokes that still resembles a man walking beside him- a shadow of a man, smaller than him. Is that Minhyuk? Did Minhyuk draw himself in messy scratch of strokes?

It’s beautiful, but why would Minhyuk interpret himself this way?

“Why are you the shadow?” He asks after getting an image of what the strokes supposed to imply.

Minhyuk still typing a while bit at his phone before shoving it down his pocket. “I’m not the spotlight here,” he says.

Their orders come and Hyunwoo doesn’t stall on finishing his meal. The food is indeed good, probably the best Hyunwoo has ever tastes from the food court littering near their campus.

And it becomes a some sort of routine for the both of them. Later on Hyunwoo and Minhyuk has never really chanced upon each other outside their practices in which scheduled for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. But after every practices, Minhyuk would bring him here and Hyunwoo tempts to try more menu. It’s mostly how they get to know each other too.

 

  
Before they knew it, they’ve passed three weeks and Minhyuk is only getting better at swimming. Some other times when they don’t have a schedule, Minhyuk would come and watch him swims in the afternoon, handing him a banana milk right after he gets out from the pool. Hyunwoo even thinks they’re starting to explore more food court around, and sometimes Minhyuk would drag him into some bookstores they encounters, not that Hyunwoo had to be drag. He’s a literature student. But he thinks he likes it when Minhyuk demands him of something, so he’d play along.

 

  
It always been quiet if Minhyuk already had drown behind those fantasy novels he just bought. Yet it’s comfortable and Hyunwoo is getting only more familiar with his presence.

And now is one of those episodes where Minhyuk is drown in his books while Hyunwoo practices on his swimming. The weather is also getting more chilly. Hyunwoo had just finish his practice and Minhyuk settles himself on the audience seat.

“I think if someone shoot me right now, it’ll hurt less,” Minhyuk says while snapping his book close. He’s grinning, though.

Hyunwoo giggles. “What is it?”

“I hate plot twist,” Minhyuk exclaims. “And loving it at the same time so it’s kinda a complicated relationship between us. _The thing is_ I’m so happy Clary is actually not Jace’s sister. I was getting more uncomfortable with that.”

That’s a book Hyunwoo reads when he was still in high school. “Ah, that part,” Hyunwoo nods leisurely, he stretches his legs and sighs when he feels his blood flowing. “Is that after the part where Alec comes out in front of the audience?”

“Yeah!” Minhyuk beams. “That part was so encouraging! He’s like, really brave. I don’t think I could do that especially with my mother watching...”

“Same,” Hyunwoo blurts absentmindedly.

Minhyuk stares at him for a while with a smile threatening to stretch wider on his face. “Also,” he went on, “I’m getting better at swimming, can we _please_ practice outside already.”

“You still had to improve your breathing, you said you don’t wanna use breathing tools,” Hyunwoo frowns at him, in which Minhyuk retaliates with a pout. He thinks his heart just swells just a little bit at the sight. _Well_. “One more practice, and we go somewhere if you make any improvement,” he decides eventually. How can he ever say no to this man...

“Okay!” Minhyuk grins, shoving his book down his bag. Hyunwoo is back to raking at his hair in an attempt to make it dry and mindlessly gathers his things to his bag. “Your blonde tip is getting darker,” Minhyuk points out suddenly.

“Yeah, it washed out,” Hyunwoo nods.

Minhyuk contemplates. “You should try going completely blonde.”

“I’d look like a homeless,” Hyunwoo squints as he imagines it. “My skin is too dark for that.”

“Noooo, it’ll look hot,” Minhyuk insisted, a shit-eating grin tugging on his lips. He raises his eyebrow. “You look good in any color. Trust me I’m a painter.”

He _consciously_ can feel the heat spreading across his ear, and he could feel Minhyuk can see it gradually going red.

“I’ll try.”

“I think red would also look good,” Minhyuk chirps.

On his peripheral vision, he could see Minhyuk is reaching out to touch his hair. He turns to see and sways away abruptly that his bottle fell off from his bag, rolling across the floor and stop at the railing.

His heart is on his ears, it’s pounding inside his ribs and he idly wonders if Minhyuk can hear how loud it is.

Minhyuk’s hand waver in the air, and he awkwardly retracts it. He looks uncomfortable all of the sudden. Hyunwoo stays still, should he says something?

“Sorry,” they say simultaneously.

There is a pause. “Sorry,” Minhyuk repeats.

“It’s okay.”

Minhyuk nods. “Did I cross a line?”

Hyunwoo ponders for a while. “Yes.” _I, will cross the line._

“Okay,” Minhyuk smiles.

So they spent the rest of the time in silence, mostly because Minhyuk drowns himself in his book again.

 

  
When Hyunwoo comes home in almost midnight, gratefully sigh at the warmth hugging his exposed hand and wills away the cold, with a shopping bag hanging on his hand full of Hyungwon’s favourite snack, someone peek his head out from behind the wall and grins at him.

“Hyung!” he exclaims. It’s Jooheon, stepping away from the wall and take the shopping bag out ofhis grip. He rummages the bag. “What is it?”

Hyunwoo frowns and giving him a bemuse smile. “It’s for Hyungwon,” he says, toeing his shoes and slides under his comfortable slippers. “Hey, why are you here?”

Jooheon takes one snack out and put the bag on the table as he flops onto the couch and rips the package open. Hyunwoo follows his steps, settles beside him later and find a teddy bear Jooheon always brings around with him whenever he’s having a sleepover.

“It’s my birthday tomorrow,” Jooheon says. “I saved up some money to buy you beef. Can we go out tonight?”

“Tonight?” Hyunwoo cuts a side glance at the clock hanging above the TV. “It’s almost eleven.”

“Exactlyyyy why I ask you, you’ll go with me,”Jooheon’s smile is wide. “We can bring Hyungwon hyung too,” his head tilts, still smiling. “Please, hyung!”

“Does Mom knows you here?”

“Of course,” Jooheon nods once. “I even told her we’re going to eat beef.”

Hyunwoo smirks. “Does she knows when?”

Jooheon groaned. “ _Hyunggggg_.”

Hyunwoo laughs, leaning back to the couch. “Alright. Call Hyungwon and get prepare.”

The younger boy beams at that, he takes a handful of chips while striding over to Hyungwon’s door, inwhich Hyungwon opens immediately.

“He said ok, hyung,” Jooheon says.

“Okay, get prepare,” Hyungwon replies. “Wear something warm, it’s cold outside.”

It doesn’t take long for them to dress themselves and the clock strikes past eleven by the time they step outside.

Jooheon chooses the place, it’s quite far from their apartment and the public buses aren’t on duty after nine. But it’s a pretty good place, the atmosphere is calm and the savoury smell is making Hyunwoo’s stomach grumbles. They quickly choose a seat near the cashier and Hyunwoo orders their beef, Hyungwon chips in to order a beer- and Hyunwoo tempts to join, but he remembers Jooheon is around. It’s a nuisance to bring two drunk men back into their apartment.

Their meat is quickly served and Hyunwoo only focusing on grilling while Jooheon picking up the grilled meat and munching it until Hyungwon elbows his ribs gently.

“Isn’t that the kid you train?” He asks, tilting his head at some corner in the room.

Hyunwoo follows his gaze and there he is, Lee Minhyuk, sitting in a circle with some other people. They’re busy talking to each other and that explains why Minhyuk (if he had seen him) doesn’t approach him. There is a guy circling his hand over his shoulder, and the three other girls are laughing at them. He can see Minhyuk is only grinning, and somehow his eyes darts around and their eyes meet. Minhyuk looks pleasantly surprised and waves at him a little bit, the guy on his shoulder looks up at him too and giving a slight friendly bow.

“He’s having fun,” Hyunwoo says, staring back at his beef and couldn’t comprehend why he somewhat feeling bitter.

“Who’s having fun?” Jooheon butts in, drinking his cola. He turns to see at where Hyunwoo was staring. “Which one do you like, hyung?”

“No one,” Hyunwoo raises his eyebrow innocently.

Jooheon grins. “ _No one_ ,” he mocks and Hyungwon’s laughing. They both picks up a new grilled piece of meat and while Hyungwon shoves it immediately into his mouth, Jooheon makes a wrap and feed him.

“He’s quite pretty, though,” Hyungwon chirps in. “I’d date him if I weren’t dating Wonho.” Right, they finally date last week. Hyunwoo still need to get used to having Wonho in their kitchen sometimes.

“Oh, confident,” Jooheon cheers. “As if he’s certainly gonna like you back.”

“He will,” Hyungwon waves at his face like it explains. He turns at Hyunwoo, looking back and forth at his face and the meat he’s grilling. “How long have you teach him?”

“Three weeks.”

“It’s for one month, right?” Hyungwon says a moment late. “One week to go, then.”

Hyunwoo simply shrugs.

“Where he’s go to?”

“A lake. He keeps changing but it always coming back for a lake,” Hyunwoo says. “It’ll probably be there.” Hyunwoo looks back at where Minhyuk sits- and the sight instantly enrage him. Hyungwon and Jooheon seems to notice too, and they turn to look.

It’s that guy from before, letting Minhyuk’s head fell on his shoulder. He seems really drunk and losing it. The guy makes this motion of giving Minhyuk a fucking hand job while the others laughing and pointing the camera at them. Minhyuk _passed out_ and they make fun of him- probably of his sexuality too...

Hyungwon had already stand up to stop them but Hyunwoo quickly barges across the room and snap their phones in one movement. Jooheon always pointed out his strength and how he sometimes use it recklessly, he used to cause bruises on Hyungwon too. He used to hate it, but now it’s making him feel somewhat superior. The bewildered and enrage faces pointed at him is making him scared and thrilled at the same time, it drives him to glares more at them. He knows his body is big and he looks strong.

Scratch that, he _is_ strong.

He grips the guy’s collar and pulls him away from Minhyuk, making Minhyuk’s head fell and he perks up at the sudden movement. Hyunwoo accidentally touches the guy’s collar and he sees it, the things he did on Minhyuk just a minutes ago when Hyunwoo wasn’t watching. Hyunwoo can feels himself glaring at him and Minhyuk slurs at the sight of Hyunwoo.

“Hey, aren’t you leader of the swimming club?” A girl points out, watching him pulling Minhyuk off his seat and Minhyuk limply obey. “What are you doing? Don’t ruin the fun.”

“Fun you said?” Hyungwon chips in behind him. Hyunwoo might have glare and not trembling even a bit with Minhyuk on him but having Hyungwon on his side made him thinks, _thank God_. “Will it be fun if he fingers you on public while you pass out and everyone is laughing at you?”

“You’re a pervert bastard,” she says. “That’s a sexual harassment.”

Hyungwon smiles pettily. “Exactly,” he says. “Delete the video before I sue you to the court.”

The guy who hold Minhyuk earlier perks up at that and he quietly rushes the others to delete the video. He must have had a good reputation and something big on his achievement and dying to keep his image clean. Hyunwoo watches him while they’re at it because he suddenly looks familiar like his whole being just gradually registering on his mind...

“You,” Hyunwoo nudges his head and he moves away from him in fear. “You’re that swimmer from Neuchang, aren’t you?”

The guy’s eyes went wide. “How- how do you know?”

“Fucking watch your back,” Hyungwon raises an eyebrow at him. He turns to the others, fingers pointing threateningly at their direction. “Have you delete it?”

The earlier girl rolls her eyes. “Screw it! Fucking take him outside already, you’re ruining the mood.”

Hyungwon is opening his mouth to snap back but Hyunwoo says through gritted teeth, “Shameless.”

“ _Ya_!”

“Hyung,” Jooheon grabs at his arm and Hyunwoo sees Jooheon had confronted the restaurant owner about the mess and ended up getting himself kicked out only for him to force his way in again and now stands behind him. “Let’s go. It’s no use.”

Some waitress come to ask them to go and Hyunwoo immediately drags Minhyuk out, as Hyungwon saves the time to kick at their table and Jooheon glares at the owner whom calmly watching behind the counter.

“I figured now what to tell my friends about this place,” Jooheon grunts loudly as he passes her and follows both Hyunwoo and Hyungwon outside.

Hyungwon has his palms rested on his slender waist as he frowns at Minhyuk once they hovers outside the restaurant. “He’s dead drunk,” he says.

“Hyung, I’m sorry,” Jooheon grimaces at Hyunwoo while Hyunwoo himself still freezes at the adrenaline running through his veins- it’s beating loud inside him.

“If we didn’t come, they probably will act worse,” Hyungwon says, embracing Jooheon shoulder with his long arm. “We should head home first.” He turns at Hyunwoo. “Be careful, Nu.”

Hyunwoo nods and watches them striding away with Minhyuk practically hanging limply at his shoulder.

The slurs of Minhyuk’s right beside his ear makes him turn and meet eyes in inappropriately short distance. Minhyuk’s pale cheeks tinges red and he looks up at him through hooded eyes, and when Hyunwoo doesn’t move he pushes himself away and sways a little bit.

Minhyuk gestures a salute motion. “Bye, Captain. Have a safe trip,” he whirls and drags himself away.

Hyunwoo stomps over to the man, ready to grab him if needed and basically _touch_ him if urgent enough-

Wait.

 _Wait_.

Hyunwoo did touch him. Minhyuk _hugged_ him.

And what did he saw then? He couldn’t really remember, which is weird because seeing a past literally took over half of his conscious realm for it to be impossible to go unnoticed.

“Kihyun will be maaaaddddd,” Minhyuk yells as Hyunwoo tries to stop him. “What?!”

“You...” Hyunwoo grabs at his arm. Nothing. He grips it tighter. Nothing. _Nothing_.

“Aw!” Minhyuk whines, pulling his hand away. Hyunwoo flinches a little bit and let go. “Go home, hyung.”

His heart is hammering against his ribs. What is it? “Can I touch you again one more time? You can say no.”

Minhyuk stretches his hand out. “Don’t hurt me,” he says. “I don’t know you’re into that kind of thing, huh,” he continues after a moment of thought. In whatever Minhyuk’s thinking now, he’s grinning at it.

Focusing more, because it’s impossible unless Minhyuk had born just a second ago so it make senses for him to not having any past, Hyunwoo takes his hand. Yet it’s still nothing, _what_?

Look, it’s probably nothing to be worry of; is what his thoughts says, so Hyunwoo decides to let it go. _For now._

“Let’s get you home,” Hyunwoo mutters eventually.

Minhyuk giggles and jumps on his wheel. “Okay!” he beams.

It’s because Hyunwoo feels like he’ll get to read Minhyuk’s past at some point as they walk, so he hold Minhyuk’s hand in his and let their palms closed onto each other. Minhyuk doesn’t seem like he minds, though, but he keeps wandering around and let their hand stretches wide in between as Minhyuk seemingly tries to drag Hyunwoo with him in no avail.

Three blocks passes and it’s still nothing. Hyunwoo glances at Minhyuk who keeps rambling at the sky about... whales?

What is this man exactly.

“You’re so big,” Minhyuk says suddenly and Hyunwoo didn’t notice he’s talking to him until Minhyuk squeezes his arm. “I was trying to imagine you as a whale but you really resemble a bear.”

“Sorry?”

Minhyuk sighs. “I love animals!” he cries. “Don’t you too?”

Hyunwoo lets out a breathy laugh. “Yeah.”

Minhyuk half glares at him and stumbles. “Literally a bear,” he slurs. “I don’t know why they haven’t sent you back into the woods,” he halts and tilts his head to think, “A handsome bear.”

Hyunwoo squeezes his arm gently, suppressing his laugh. This man is really losing it.

“Then what are you?”

Minhyuk giggles. “Puppy.”

Hyunwoo’s laugh is only getting louder. “Okay, Pup,” he says jokingly.

He notices Minhyuk frequently shivers under his sweater, so he pulls him closer if that would make him any warmer. Minhyuk stumbles, letting his shoulder sometime brushes with Hyunwoo’s.

“I think we can go for lake on Wednesday,” Hyunwoo says at some point in their silence.

“I thought I had to improve my breathing?”

Hyunwoo shrugs. _Now I can pull you out without worry every time you’re out of breath_. Worry? Should Hyunwoo worry that he couldn’t see Minhyuk’s past though?

“I figured you might want to focus more on the painting for the last few days.”

There’s a long pause and when Hyunwoo turns he sees Minhyuk’s eyes is fluttering close. He halts and Minhyuk’s head bumps into his shoulder, making him stumble backwards and look up at him through haze eyes.

Hyunwoo turns to give him his back and slightly kneel, pulling Minhyuk close to let him climb onto his back. Minhyuk hesitates for a moment before he eventually plops onto it, circling his arms around the neck and Hyunwoo secures his legs.

“Thank you,” Minhyuk mutters right beside his ears. “I can’t believe I’m dead drunk.”

Minutes later, Minhyuk’s weight heavies more and the soft snores he lets out flutters over the skin of his neck.

 

 

 

 


	2. It's a Crush, Yes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyunwoo doesn’t find it in him to bicker over the drink, not when Minhyuk’s eyes crinkling to crescent as he smiles. He feels something warm shoots down his spine, but he thinks it’s probably the drink.

Two days later, Minhyuk shows up with a purple bruise on his temple and an ugly red tinged on one corner of his lips, colours appearing contrast to his white skin. Somehow he can still find the joy to shoot a sly grin at Hyunwoo when their eyes meet.

Hyunwoo is too bewildered to smiles back, though.

“What happened?” Hyunwoo asks when Minhyuk is near enough.

Minhyuk tilts his head to the car. “I’ll tell you on the ride.”

“Okay,” Hyunwoo reluctantly opens the door on the driver seat. “Get in.”

They drive off from the parking lot of the art building where Minhyuk mostly spends his day on. Hyunwoo hasn’t told him yet which lake they are going to, but Minhyuk doesn’t seem bothered enough to ask.

“I punch the guy in that restaurant last night,” he says shortly, bring a hand up to waves at his face. “Didn’t end that well. But I at least punch him.”

Hyunwoo relaxes his eyebrow to not let it frown. But he ends up glaring at the road. “Did they do anything worse?”

“They call me names,” Minhyuk is fiddling with the seatbelt. “Fucking annoying.”

Hyunwoo glances at him for a moment, figured he should say something because it angers him too. “I’ll beat their ass on our next competition.” He gestures a swing motion.

Minhyuk laughs. “ _Whip em ass, Cap!_ ”

Hyunwoo chuckles and let the radio plays an unfamiliar music to fill the silence, it sounds vague until Minhyuk reaches and increase the volume up. For a while he’s just busy fumbling with the channels as Hyunwoo just focusing on the road.

“Oh, this one’s good,” Hyunwoo blurts out when Minhyuk is giving some song a listen before deciding what he’s going to settles with.

“Is it?” Minhyuk asks. He leans back to his seat, “You listen to their song?”

“Yeah.”

Minhyuk bops his head a little and try to match with the beat. “Oh, well, quite catchy,” he says after a moment.

The music ends and what comes after turns out to be Minhyuk’s favorite one, so the car suddenly fills up with his voice singing perfectly to the lyrics. Minhyuk has his head leaned back and he sings aloud while pinching his eyes close, trying to match with the high note seems like no labour.

“I’m buying coffee,” Hyunwoo says, driving to the drive-thru and halts to wait in line. “You want some?”

Minhyuk snaps his eyes open and leans closer to read the menu. He contemplates for a while before; “Americano.”

“You think that much only for an Americano?” Hyunwoo laughs.

“Do you think you’d have a better suggestion, Sir?” Minhyuk snaps back, leaning his head on the side of the headrest so he’s completely looking at Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo juts his bottom lip out. “Maybe?” he says after a pause.

“Let’s see, then, I’ll drink whatever you buy.”

So Hyunwoo buys two Iced Americano and they laugh loudly.

“What the hell! My expectation was high!” Minhyuk yells, and then sips quietly on his coffee. “It tastes good.”

“I know a lot of good places.”

“ _Hmmm_ , you do,” Minhyuk mumbles, and then he perks up at something- probably at his own thoughts, before he turns to Hyunwoo. “Hey, what if I treat you to this new club they opened near Heojan if I win?”

“When is your competition exactly?” Hyunwoo turns the wheel to the big road again.

“At the end of this month,” Minhyuk went on, “in China.”

Hyunwoo grins at him. “Wow.”

“I know,” Minhyuk sighs playfully, shrugging smugly. “No big deal, though.”

Hyunwoo scoffs, but doesn’t say anything back. He starts to focusing on the road again as Minhyuk jamming to the songs played on the radio on his side.

 

 

The lake is somewhere in the woods, near the edge line of the city where the abundant, thick trees covering up the ground and they reach up scratching the sky with their leaves and blocking the light to touch the underneath until the wind rakes them away and the light momentarily pass through.

It seems like people come here occasionally, given the paved road someone made to avoid people from losing their way.

“You come here often?” Minhyuk asks as he hooks his bag onto his shoulder and steps away from the car, looking up to see how high the trees reaches.

“I used to live near,” Hyunwoo says, walk pass him to lead the way. “I think the lake is beautiful enough, and it’s safe.”

“I don’t mind crocodiles,” Minhyuk chirps while hastily following Hyunwoo’s steps.

Hyunwoo turns to look over his shoulder with a kind smile that’s supposed to be a mockery grin. He quips, “Do we skip the fact that you nearly piss yourself when I told you about the sea wasp?”

Minhyuk stumbles over a broken twig. “Not everything is as beautiful as a whale,” he says defensive, dodging the protruding branch that threatens to scratch his face. “Is it far?”

“No, I park the car quite near,” Hyunwoo says.

“It’s your car? That’s your car?”

“It’s Jinyoung’s- one of the swimmers. He’s out of town and he said I could use his car,” Hyunwoo explains as he’s walking out of the paved road and skidding down a steep slope of grass and turns to reach Minhyuk’s hand. The sudden flash of odd feeling wash over him as Minhyuk takes his hand and he sees _nothing_. It feels empty, not bad. But there’s like a big hollow he’s missing. “Be careful,” he warns.

Minhyuk slides down. “Why,” he trips before Hyunwoo grips tighter and pulls him, “Are we taking this path?” he continues as if he didn’t just about to roll his body all the way down.

“It’s a shortcut.”

“Figured,” Minhyuk mumbles as he pats the dust away from his shirt.

The lake placed down the road, surrounded by thick trees and bushes. The paved road cleave apart for an entrance, it connects to a pier plunged from the shore to the water that spread vast before their eyes. On the other side, there’s an endless ground of colours where flowers bloomed on the untouched land.

Minhyuk lets his jaw drop as he captures the view, the bag fell off gently to the wooden surface.

“You said you lived near,” Minhyuk says without turning. “Why did you move?”

There’s a pause as Hyunwoo fiddles with the hem of his shirt. “My dad died,” Hyunwoo answers simply, taking off his shirt and fold it neat.

Minhyuk turns at him. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Hyunwoo shrugs, but turn around as if to freed himself under Minhyuk’s gaze.

“What about your mom?” Minhyuk pulls off his shirt too and curl it into a wad of fabric before shoving it down his bag.

Hyunwoo walks pass him to the pier edge and prepares himself to do a jump. “She works and live with my brother.”

“That’s great,” Minhyuk mumbles, tries to not staring at Hyunwoo’s body before his eyes. “ _Uhm_.”

Hyunwoo seems oblivious to a flustered Minhyuk behind his back as he immediately jump into the lake and disappears underneath the film of water before he swims up and floats in the surface.

“C’mon.”

Minhyuk surpresses a wide grin and completely failing, despite the sudden hesitation of his earned swimming skill currently. It’s a _real_ lake, he’s about to do it. But Minhyuk is nothing if not act on the spur of the moment, so he steps backwards and runs so he can highly jump to the water, completely ignoring Hyunwoo’s warning that sounds like a panic bee in the back of his ears.

Every noises muffled as the sound of splashes water invade his hearing. Minhyuk drowns further into the water, he doesn’t mind in spite of his nose hurting from the sudden submersion. He opens his eyes to see long green moldy seaweed waving along with the gentle wave and the slightly pale looking fishes squirming pass him, swimming away.

Before Minhyuk decides to swim up, he can sees Hyunwoo dives in on the corner of his eyes. Minhyuk lunges upright to take a breath before joining the other man, swimming above the moss stone half buried onto the ground, fish occasionally swimming out under it to seek a better hiding place as they swimming nearer.

As Minhyuk scans around (which is not much since the green algae pervading itself on the water and blocking almost everything ten steps away from them), Hyunwoo grabs his elbow and pulls him into the surface.

“Are you getting what you want?” he asks carefully as Minhyuk vigorously wipes his face with the free hand Hyunwoo’s not gripping.

Minhyuk holding back onto his arm to keep him afloat in the surface, inconsciently pulling himself closer. “Yes,” Minhyuk breathe, though Hyunwoo can feel him contemplating more in his head. “I think my paintings would be rather morbid with all the green,” he says after a moment.

“Yeah?” Hyunwoo frowns, staring at Minhyuk who’s leaning into his personal space more than he’d usually like- but he oddly didn’t mind when it comes to Minhyuk. And the _nothingness_ he sees... it’s still pleasantly weird. He can touch and sees nothing, it simultaneously gives him the calm and the exhilaration. He feels normal and not normal at the same time. He blinks when he notice Minhyuk is staring back at him. He clears his throat. “You wanna see more?”

Minhyuk hums as he let his eyes roam around, and Hyunwoo notices his blinking is uneven. It looks beautiful and unique. They never been this close and Hyunwoo never really pays attention to his blinking. Did he do that on purpose, though? “Fifteen more minutes, hyung,” Minhyuk swims away and downs himself to the water.

Hyunwoo stares into the empty surface, he can see the golden tint of Minhyuk’s skin drowning further down and he lets himself slowly registering the beating of his heart, pounding slightly faster than it ever has.

 

 

“Here,” Minhyuk places the paper on the dashboard when Hyunwoo pulls up in front of his house. It’s a drawing of Hyunwoo in his short then on the lake, with vivid drips of water on his back and the vague space of flowers in the base horizon to make the background look less empty.

Hyunwoo stares in awe. “Wow... thanks.”

“It’s nothing,” Minhyuk shrugs, slightly deflating on his seat. He looks uncharacteristically out of energy and insecure. “I’m not happy with it though,” he flips the paper so the blank page facing upward.

“No,” Hyunwoo says firmly, taking it to his hand and eyeing it more closely. “It looks beautiful.”

“Well, if you say it is,” Minhyuk sighs and flashing him a quick smile when Hyunwoo shoot him a convincing gaze. “C’mere,” he takes the paper back and adding more strokes into it. “That feels better,” he says, shoving it back to Hyunwoo’s lap.

Hyunwoo dugs his head to see no difference on the drawing- but maybe it just him. He doesn’t have an eye for that. “Well, okay,” he says, unsure.

Minhyuk unbuckles his seatbelt and grabs at his bag on the backseat, hooks it onto his shoulder. “Anyway,” he starts with his usual tone, regaining his old self back. “If I win, I’ll be back in a month and I’ll treat you to the club,” he winks slowly- _or_ _was it blinking?_

He caught himself staring longer than he’d like to admit. “Great,” Hyunwoo murmurs, he’s not sure what expression plastered on his face right now. More people- _no_ , literally full of squirming people in one room. Hyunwoo already thought of those thick jacket Hyungwon bought him to avoid human contact as a mere joke but he begins to wonder if that would actually work the job.

“Go home safe, hyung,” Minhyuk opens the door, squirming himself out and waves before closing the door again. He bends over to continue waving at him through the black window, waits until Hyunwoo turns the wheel and disappearing behind another block, searching for the big road.

Hyunwoo reaches to increase the radio volume as if the loud noise of it would subdue his loud thoughts, at the same time thrilled by the tint of excitement running over him at the possibility of hanging out with Minhyuk, even to the crowdest room yet.

It suddenly comes to his mind and he catches himself thinking of Minhyuk’s bare face back then in the lake. It's hard to resist the masculine beauty that is Minhyuk's face, even when he tries to swallow the image to the pit of his stomach and never go back up again to linger on his mind so he can focus on the road.

 

 

It smells of sweats, layered with occasional perfumed lotion for those with enough consideration to slathered it on.

The last few days had been rough for Hyunwoo, whom spent it with books of literature required for the class. It’s just one of those days he couldn’t properly spot his focus to piles of papers, thoughts searing everywhere as he blankly stares at the page full of words- words he couldn’t make out behind the wheels of his own thought.

The bridge of his nose starting to hurt at where his glasses pressed.

So, he decided, gym would do.

Wonho was quick to reply his invite, making himself ready for just a minutes before knocking at their door. He went in, equally red on the face as Hyungwon’s as they hovered in the living room waiting for Hyunwoo bundling up.

“Sleep at my room tonight?” Hyunwoo, though he didn’t mean to, caught what Wonho had said behind his bedroom door.

Without even looking, he’d knew Hyungwon is probably going purple at this point. They’ve been dating for like, weeks? Almost a month now. Stop acting like virgins. Hyunwoo wouldn’t know if Wonho is, not his business, but Hyungwon clearly isn’t.

“Yeah. Okay,” Hyungwon replied quietly.

On their way to the gym, Hyunwoo wonders if he should say what he was about to say and eventually decides it’s quiet important so he clears his throat demanding for an attention before saying, “Don’t ever think of taking him, I can’t rent fully yet.”

“Okay,” Wonho giggled nervously. “You heard?”

Hyunwoo looked up sheepishly. “Sorry. It was too quiet.”

“No offense taken,” Wonho shrugged with ears redden.

They arrived at the gym, part ways to do their own workout, Hyunwoo’s was less intense than Wonho’s, it was only to keep his body fit enough for a swim given to the amount of food he consumed on daily basis.

And never, _never_ had someone bother to come up at him for a talk, let alone putting their hand on his shoulder, as he mind his own business, for them to gain his attention. The owner of the hand coughs, and he might have said something but Hyunwoo couldn’t have taken it as his vision swirls before a bright hued image taking over his full sight.

What he sees by no means pleasant.

It was a yell, a shriek, gnawing for help but of course Hyunwoo couldn’t do anything to make it better but _see_. It was blood he sees, and the vision hurts starting from his head searing through his whole body. It was a grip, forcing something in on behalf one party will, and Hyunwoo wants to _get out_.

“Nosebleed,” he hears something eventually, as his head throbbing and he couldn’t look up from the drum bells neatly placed near the corner to focus on regaining his sanity.

The pain ebbs away and he starts to take control over his shallow breath, looking up at who could’ve had such terrifying past. And it was a boy- must be a teenager, looking fragile and frightened by the sight of...

Hyunwoo brings a hand to feel the condensed liquid on his philtrum, and he quickly wipes it with his small towel that had been hanging on his shoulder.

“Hey,” Hyunwoo starts, as he done wiping it clean. “What is it?”

The kid blinks a few times before saying, “I just wanna say... _I just wanna ask_ how do I turn on the treadmill, it isn’t working.”

“Oh, okay,” Hyunwoo says as nicely as he could possibly sound, starting to his feet and let the kid lead the way. “You look young," he blurts out.

He turns to look over his shoulder uncomfortably, as if he doesn’t like walking in front of someone. “Yes, I _am_ young,” he says warily.

Hyunwoo decides to not scares the kid off and instantly help explaining him the point, how to turn this on and which one that works the best. Some of it can’t even decrease the speed when you want to, so better to tell the kid before he stuck running.

Ever since that, it’s hard to not notice the kid presence or absence in the room every time he comes around, Hyunwoo quietly watches him from where he does his own workout. Wonho doesn’t know about this, but it’s so much of Wonho when the man eventually comes up to him and help him a little bit. And the kid seems more comfortable with Wonho’s warm presence. It’s kind of giving Hyunwoo feeling lonely, but he couldn’t blame the kid, he _does_ gives off a weird stoic atmosphere around. So he doesn’t dwell much on it, either.

 

 

“I told you it doesn’t work that way!” Wonho groans for the nth time, the heel of his palms pressed to the side of his head at the sight of Hyungwon ruining their lunch in hand.

“You really thought I couldn’t make it?” Hyungwon snaps, pointing at the almost burnt eggs he made and the uneven savoured bacon. “It’s gonna taste great, I fed Hyunwoo all his life and look how healthy he is!”

“That’s literally how he can handle the worst food to ever exist- _no offense_ , Hyungwon, but let me hold the goddamn tongs!”

“Offense taken,” he deadpans, flipping the eggs to the plate (and almost spilling it all over the sink). He then slides the plate to the quiet Hyunwoo who calmly wait for his meal to serve.

Wonho juts out his bottom lip and Hyungwon quickly averts his gaze.

“Here,” Hyungwon says quietly. “Make me a food you’ve so proud of making.”

It’s crazy how Hyungwon _never_ gives in to Hyunwoo in fourteen years worth of friendship.

“What are you gonna make?” Hyunwoo doubles the savoured and the unsavoured part of the bacon before shoving it into his mouth. It taste decent, for Hyungwon’s skill, it is at least edible.

“Haemuljeon,” Wonho exclaims proudly, hands stretches wide to the side, a grin tugging on his lips. He suddenly looks too big for their small kitchen. He points the tongs at Hyungwon, “You’ll be surprise, babe.”

Hyungwon’s face redden. “I better.”

Hyunwoo uncomfortably grimaces, prefer to digging in his lunch in peace rather than catching an inside joke that perhaps implies something sexual between the two of them. Nothing would explain Hyungwon’s tomato face otherwise.

“You could spit lava in a second,” Hyunwoo quips flatly, not looking up from his scrambled eggs, doesn’t even flinches when a wet spinach made contact with his head from where Hyungwon had thrown it. He simply wipe his temple and set it aside.

Wonho is teasing Hyungwon about something when his phone starts buzzing in his pocket- he takes a big spoonful of both eggs and bacon into his mouth before rummaging it and draws out his phone, screen lit up with a message from Minhyuk.

His heart tingles and flutters into a warm heat spreading across his chest, but the sensation doesn’t last long. It’s gone as he blinks and as he swipes his fingers across the screen to get to read the actual message.

> **Minhyuk**
> 
> _hyunggg_
> 
> _this is predictable_
> 
> _;))_
> 
> _I WON!!!!_

He doesn’t realizes he’s grinning until it occurs to him he’s almost closing his eyes with how big the smile plastering across his face is.

> **Hyunwoo**
> 
> _Great._

It didn’t quite convey his jubilant feeling, he couldn’t settle with a mere _Great_. He needs more of expression.

His fingers hovers across the screen, pondering on what should he add.

> **Hyunwoo**
> 
> _^_^_

Yeah. That’s seems like it.

 

 

It’s more or less how he ends up staring at his reflection, with Hyungwon on his back peering over his shoulder to judge his fashion sense- finger rubbing on his chin and eyes slightly narrowed like it would improve his sight at all. Hyunwoo waits, looking up at his reflection too expectantly.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Hyungwon murmurs, eyes still roving at his middle. “You’ll making me feel bad for giving honest opinion.”

Hyunwoo’s shoulders slump. “Be quick with it.”

“You look like you’d belong on veteran cafe,” he says eventually, dropping any consideration to sugar coat his opinion.

“Why? It looks good to me.”

“It is,” Hyungwon nods in agreement. Hyunwoo feels genuinely surprised and almost flattered at the easy compliment. “If you’re about to settle with your 50s peers,” he continues.

“Okay, give me better suggestion.”

“You’d look good in black shirt, though,” Hyungwon sighs, bending over where his pile of clothes bundled across his bed. “Turn off your idiosyncrasies for a night, that’d be a huge help to your outfit.”

He kind of wishes he could do that it almost stressing himself out. “Won’t it be too hot there? To wear a jacket?”

“That, _yes-_ it’ll look deadass weird too,” Hyungwon says without turning, but he suddenly whirls at him with eyes lit up in something as a sign of idea flicking on his brain. “Everyone’s drunk!” He beams like he just remember something shockingly good, and Hyunwoo maintains his gaze at him beckoning to continue. “I don’t think you’ll be seeing vivid past? They’re drunk? Have you touch drunk people?”

Hyunwoo glances at the ceiling to recall the memory of such event. “I wouldn’t know if they’re drunk,” he says eventually. “I never intentionally touch someone- “

“ _Wait!_ I have an even better idea!” Hyungwon exclaims, pointing one finger to emphasize the air of excitement.

“What?” Hyunwoo can feel the prickle feeling tingles across his arm, like even his nerve is anxious at the thought of touching something, and he wouldn’t know if he’d like Hyungwon’s idea or not.

“Your leather jacket!” He lets his arms slightly stretches to the side, like he’s announcing a New Year’s gift. “That’s your peak fashion there, where is it?” He turns to snap his closet doors open, pulling out a black shiny leather jacket whom almost left untouched and forgotten if Hyungwon didn’t remember it.

Hyunwoo gapes. “You’re right!”

Hyungwon smoothes his hand down the jacket as he thought of something. “You said you’re going out with Minhyuk, eh?” Hyungwon’s eyes flicker up at him and there’s a glint in his gaze that Hyunwoo doesn’t want to decipher.

“Yes.”

“Well, this gonna kill him,” Hyungwon hands him the jacket, a sly grin tugging on his lips.

Hyunwoo takes it, refuse to feel self conscious all of the sudden. “He doesn’t like me like _that_.”

Hyungwon lets out a breathy laugh and brings a hand up to cover his mouth as if to restrain himself. “Ha!” he exclaims. “You like him, then.”

Hyunwoo isn’t stupid, neither is Hyungwon. He does feel a little excited to be around Minhyuk, he feels things he never felt before but know it’s what people would call having a ‘ _crush_ ’ over someone, he could spend time staring at him without realizing the time passing, but he wouldn’t dwell on parting ways with him either. So it’s not a big deal- if anything, it makes him feel more lively.

He knows Hyungwon must’ve seen it too on him. He is transparent like that in Hyungwon’s eyes, whether he likes to admit it or not. It’ll be dead stupid to deny what Hyungwon sees on him. Especially because he never had a feeling quite like this toward someone else, and Hyungwon must’ve catch on this too. It’s new.

And it worries him. He moves his shoulder in an attempt to relax the tense a bit. “Does it shows?”

Hyungwon folds his hands over his chest. “Well, to me? Yeah.”

“What if he knows?” Hyunwoo shifts his weight to the other leg.

“Great. Finally dating, then. A possibility to lose the tie.”

_A what?_ “No, it’s...” Hyunwoo trails off, looking up to the wall and paying attention with the unnecessary amount of interest at the cracks with thoughts running to seek the right word to explain the situation. “I can’t see his past.” That's not what he originally wanted to say, but it suddenly occurs to him that it's what Hyungwon should know first.

Hyungwon slightly leans his head forward, eyes squints. “What?” Hyunwoo can senses Hyungwon is about to bring up the fact that Hyunwoo is keeping this information by himself until now but decides to drop it.

Hyunwoo shrugs. “I don’t know why.”

“That’s, a good thing, then?”

Hyunwoo shakes his head slowly. “ _I don't know_."

“Does it feel wrong to like him, then?"

“No,” Hyunwoo says, hurried. “I just thought you should know that." He frowns. "Weird, uh."

Hyungwon scoffs. “Look, your _situation_ -“ Hyungwon brings a hands up to bend his fingers quoting his words, “-is already weird to begin with."

“Look, it's only a crush anyway,” Hyunwoo mutters and stroll pass him to his bed, pulling off his shirt and clad on the new black one. "I don't think he'd like me back."

“He'd be dead stupid, then,” Hyungwon replies as he watches him. “Or completely smart. Who knows at this point.”

Already having a retort ready to be spitted out, Hyunwoo’s phone rings as he had set an alarm to stop grooming and caught himself late. “Shit, I gotta go,” he quickly slides under the tight jacket and pocketing his phone.

“You sure condom aren’t need here?” Hyungwon yells as Hyunwoo runs outside.

There’s a sound of something solid falls onto the ground, and the bell dings as Hyunwoo hastily closes the door, unbothered to snap back at Hyungwon’s game.

 

 

“Hyung,” Minhyuk doesn’t smile, eyes go rather wide and eyebrow slightly arched. Hyunwoo couldn’t say if that’s a good sign or a bad one, and before he can decide on what to do about this, Minhyuk scratches his nape sheepishly and brings it forward to cradle his own face. “Should we go inside now?” He whirls, not waiting for Hyunwoo to catch up.

His heart had been pounding harshly against his ribs on his way to the club, at the excitement of seeing Minhyuk and the idea of standing among people. The former feels like a warm joy but the latter isn’t.

“Wait,” Hyunwoo holds his shoulder gently, and he thinks, _Nothing_. Would be great if this happens to everyone he touches like the ability shall disappear on a certain age. Minhyuk halts and look at him with lip pinched, if Hyunwoo hadn’t been so anxious himself he would’ve catch on Minhyuk jittery state. What could make Minhyuk so nervous, anyway? “Wait...” Hyunwoo breathes.

Minhyuk steps closer, looking more concerned. “You okay, hyung?”

“Yes!” Hyunwoo snaps, louder than intended. He adds more quietly, “Just, stay close.”

“You really should go out more,” Minhyuk sneers, but hands softly rubbing at his arm. “Come, I’ll hold your hand,” he says, half jokingly, but Hyunwoo is grateful.

The dance floor is not as exclusive as how the TV pictured them to be, and Hyunwoo didn’t mind the loud music hammering against his ears. He also didn’t mind the stares Minhyuk gives him every time he sways away from other people as far as he could.

“Look, hyung,” Minhyuk starts, leaning closer to his ears to beat the noises around. Hyunwoo almost jumps away immediately before remembering it’s _Minhyuk_. “You’re rather pulling me around than _I_ pulling you around.”

Hyunwoo gives him a silent stare and notices they’ve been hovering at the least populated side of the room. He pulls back a grimace and utters, “Sorry,” without a shred of shame.

Minhyuk tsks playfully. “Anyway, I’m buying you drink,” he says importantly. “Still cool?”

“Yeah.” And now Minhyuk successfully guiding him to the bar, he couldn’t really see the way, with how he gives up on avoiding contact and registering the past visions on his head. Money, cries, glass of wine, or some are tea, occasional laugh, cries again, a vague shadows of someone saying of what Hyunwoo assumed must be privately important to them.

_“We don’t owe ourselves people approval, we recognize our own value. Your dad-“_

“Hyung.”

_“He fucked up, and he is never you.”_

A grip on his shoulder, and voice firmer. “ _Hyung_.”

Hyunwoo is met with Minhyuk’s eyes, wide and close but not close enough for Hyunwoo to automatically back away on instinct. Seconds later he realizes he’d been gripping on Minhyuk’s hand way too hard.

His sight fell at their hand links to each other, Minhyuk’s pale skin contrast to his own. He lets go, not trying to repress the guilt when he sees the white part he’s been gripping is quickly flowed with red. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Minhyuk affirms, letting his own hand fall from his shoulder. “You just spaced out suddenly.”

“I...” His head starts to vaguely spin but he doesn’t dwell on it, not at how it making his inside turns. Not now. He flashes a smile, but knows it doesn’t look genuine. “I’m okay.”

It’s a pause, Minhyuk gazes as if he could bores deeper and seek for the root. He eventually leans away. “If you say so,” he mutters and turns, animatedly ordering their drink to the barman.

Hyunwoo takes the time to calm himself, the sensation had always been the same but it never exhaust him any less.

“So,” Minhyuk is back on his seat and Hyunwoo’s all ears through the slight haze. “What you been up to?”

“Practicing, mostly,” Hyunwoo says. “How’s China?” His mind is clear enough to find the joy and grins, anticipating Minhyuk’s rambling that he knew he’d drawn to.

Minhyuk laughs in playful vanity, he pretends to toss his hair back. “Not much, hyung. Different language, is all,” he went on more genuine, “Different food, different people, different scenery- _oh!_ I took some pictures for you, hyung! It looked really pretty. And when I said _really_ then I _meant_ it, deep definition of pretty,” he draws out his phone while do all the talking and unlocks it. “And the food is _amazing_ ,” he stresses while swiping once more and turning the screen at Hyunwoo’s direction.

Hyunwoo leans closer, and Minhyuk swipes some more for him. “Woah,” is all he could utters.

“I know!” Minhyuk beams. “Haven’t you go there, hyung? With the swimming club?”

“Japan, mostly,” Hyunwoo says thoughtfully. “America, once. But I couldn’t make it.”

“Japan?” Minhyuk whimpers. “I _never!_ ”

“Ey,” Hyunwoo grunts, “You got China.”

“But _Japan!_ ”

The barman strides up with their drink, pouring it to the fat sized glass before then leaving them with the bottle and make sure to tell them if they need more of their service. Minhyuk brings a hand up politely, turns back at the other man to watch with mischievous glint as Hyunwoo sips his drink and scrunching his face completely.

“Minhyuk,” he calls, tone imputating. “What is it?”

“Tequila,” Minhyuk reins his laughter to the bare minimum. “You don’t like it,” he states like it’s helping.

“I don’t,” Hyunwoo doesn’t find it in him to bicker over the drink, not when Minhyuk’s eyes crinkling to crescent as he smiles. He feels something warm shoots down his spine, but he thinks it’s probably the drink. He tilts the glass gently before taking another sip. It tastes better after the third, he’s getting used to it.

“It’s light, and I’ve heard it’s healthy,” Minhyuk says. “This is exclusively ordered for you, hyung.”

Hyunwoo glares with the attempted mischievous stare and Minhyuk laughs being on the receiving end.

“Adorable,” Minhyuk teases, mindlessly taking his own sip and scrunch his nose. “Argh!”

“That’s a drink for you,” Hyunwoo snaps back, not moving when Minhyuk swats him half heartedly except the widening smile grazing on his face.

 

 

Another thing he learns from Minhyuk is, the man is even louder when he’s getting drunk, like it’s possible at all at this point- and he’s been anticipating this to happen, but it doesn’t make him any less nervous when Minhyuk yells,

“Hyung! Let’s dance!”

Hyunwoo shakes his head silently, watching the sight of Minhyuk tries to pulling him off his seat in no avail. “No,” he says, pulling Minhyuk closer back easily.

“No fun!” Minhyuk flops himself _on_ Hyunwoo’s thighs, like it’s just normal. But the man seems like he can’t even distinguish what he’s sitting on at this point- _Hyunwoo, though?_ He freezes at the unfamiliar weigh, and before he knows it, Minhyuk had stand up again and waltz off to the crowd.

Hyunwoo sighs. Well, at least one can have fun.

“Hey, there,” a voice came from somewhere in his right, the presence of it makes Hyunwoo’s nerves itches. He turns to see a man strides over, clad in tuxedo and black glasses tugging on the bridge of his nose like the room isn’t dark enough for him. He can see the man’s body is more muscular than his, the muscles bulges beneath the fabric. He sure takes pride of it. “That man’s yours?”

Hyunwoo hates the term of belonging as if Minhyuk is an object to begin with. “No,” he says simply.

“Ah, great,” the man muses. “He works here?”

“No.” Hyunwoo looks away, starting to look for Minhyuk’s figure among the swinging limbs.

“He’s a customer?” He went on.

“Yeah, so do I,” Hyunwoo replies, looking back at him calmly. “ _We_ are customer.”

The man pulls his head back. “What was the look for,” he grunts. He turns to let himself roam his eyes around, and spots something as he pause abruptly- Hyunwoo’s inside twitch, praying it’s not _who_ he thinks it is and follow his line of sight, catching Minhyuk’s figure dancing mindlessly and looks like he made some friends already. Hyunwoo looks back at the man, only to find that he already strives for Minhyuk.

Hyunwoo shoves his hand inside his pocket. _Fuck it_ , he thinks before jumping off his seat and makes his way to the crowd. The word he wouldn’t ever say, but definitely think about a lot.

It’s not that bad, everyone is dancing with appropriate space for someone to freely prowling on the mass and some even sober enough to give way for Hyunwoo.

“Hyunwoo!” It’s Minhyuk upon seeing him coming closer, voice barely audible under the music, but he can sees his mouth forming his name. The prior man hovers next to him, looks like he’s been completely ignored and the friends he made continuously dancing on the back, couldn't be bothered enough to give a damn on what’s happening to Minhyuk.

“Hey.” Hyunwoo pulls his hand out to put it on Minhyuk’s side, ignoring how Minhyuk’s shirt feels soft beneath his calloused palm and pulling him over to widening the space between him and the stranger. Hyunwoo leans closer to his ear, “You wanna go home now?” he asks hopefully.

But Minhyuk had already circling his hand around Hyunwoo’s neck and jumps around, his steps rhymes with the beat. Hyunwoo freezes at the sudden movement, the stranger problem is long forgotten as the new one arise.

Minhyuk leans away with hand holding his, pulling him to the crowder side where his friends had been enjoying themselves.

“Jeonghan!” Minhyuk yells right beside the unfamiliar blonde man, the said man turns in bewildered face and smiles when he caught sight of Minhyuk’s face. Minhyuk points at him, “Hyunwoo! The friend I told you earlier!”

“Hey, man!” Jeonghan dances his way to him, stretches his hand out to pull him closer and Hyunwoo thinks _No!_ right before Jeonghan takes his hand and brings him closer to their circle of friends.

It was flowers, endless space of pastel plants. He can hear giggles but before the vision continue, it alters quickly to where he is now and more hands is pulling him over- and it’s rapid, the motions of past inside his mind. He can registers all of it despite the altering memories rapidly coming through as different hands comes to touch him, whether intentional or not. Hyunwoo could no longer tell.

His head spins extremely, like the world decides to roll like a maniac ball on space. It doesn’t hurt _no_ , but it _suffocates_ his brain.

_“It’s coming.”_

It’s the past. Whose past? What was coming for them?

He can hear a yell, a loud agonizing one- like the one you let out when you lose the only person you had in the world. It’s a tragedy. Who could possibly been going through that?

Hyunwoo wouldn’t have known, he couldn’t even tell when it’s all go perpetual black.

Somehow he can hear someone calls for his name, and it sounds so much like Minhyuk.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey!! i know it might sounds quite demanding but no pressure at all, just wanna let you know i dont have friends who likes reading fanfic and i couldnt bring myself to ask for mutual's help. and i almost give up writing this bc i dont know if this is good enough or not SO please, if you had any comments in mind, let me know!! love xx


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